hubert howe bancroft - Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History ...

356 CHINESE, THE LABOR AGITATION, AND POLITICS.
Moscow should the condition of the laboring class not
be soon improved, and that bullets were not wanting
to enforce their demands, Day interrupted him, and
declined to preside at a meeting where such sentiments
were uttered. Kearney was applauded and
Day yelled down, whereupon there was a division.
On the 5th of October a permanent organization of
the workingmen's party was effected, with Dennis
Kearney president, J\ G. Day vice-president, and H.
L. Knight secretary
The principles adopted proposed to elevate the
working class at the expense of every other." They
found ready acceptance among a class who envied the
aristocrat rolling in wealth which their hands had
gathered, who hated the encroaching Chinamen, and
who detested the politician as a betrayer and parasite.
They were dazzled by the glittering prospects which
*The following were the principles declared: 'The object of this association
is to unite all the poor and working men and their friends into one
political party for the purpose of defending themselves against the dangerous
encroachments of capital on the happiness of our people, and the liberties of
our country. We propose to wrest the gov't from the hands of the rich and
place it in those of the people where it properly belongs, We propose to rid
the country of cheap Chinese labor as soon as possible, and by all the mean3
in our power, because it tends still more to degrade labor and aggrandize
capital. We propose to destroy land monopoly in our state by such laws as
will make it impossible. We propose to destroy the great money power of
the rich by a system of taxation that will make great wealth impossible in
the future. We propose to provide decently for the poor and unfortunate,
the weak, the helpless, and especially the young, because the country is rich
enough to do so, and religion, humanity, and patriotism demand we should
do so. We propose to elect none but competent workingmen and their
friends to any office whatever. The rich have ruled us till they have ruined
us. We will now take our own affairs into our own hands. The republic
must and shall be preserved, and only workingmen will do it. Our shoddy
aristocrats want an emperor, and a standing army to shoot down the people.
For these purposes we propose to form ourselves into the Workingmen'a
Party of California, and to pledge and enroll therein all who are willing to
join us in accomplishing these ends. When we have 10,000 members we
shall have the sympathy and support of 20,000 other workingmen. The
party will then wait upon all who employ Chinese, and ask for their discbarge;
and it will mark as public enemies those who refuse to comply with
their request. This party will exhaust all peaceable means of attaining its
ends; but it will not be denied justice when it has the power to enforce it.
It will encourage no riot or outrage, but it will not volunteer to repress or
put down, or arrest, or prosecute the hungry and impatient who manifest
their hatred of the Chinaman by a crusade against John or those who employ
him. Let those who raise the storm by their selfishness suppress it themselves.
If they dare raise the devil let them meet him face to face. We
will not.helpthem.'